Do you prefer reading comics with digital or traditional artwork?

[realdictatorchan]

So, I'm currently in the process of storyboarding my comic (is what I've told myself about ten times with ten different comics dies) and I've already come to the conclusion that I want to do my comic in color because I've accepted this comic will rule my life for the next five years and that I might as well enjoy myself by coloring it. This leaves the question of which do you prefer, digital or traditional and what do you recommend I do?

I've come to the conclusion that it would be, by far, more cost effective to do digital art, but the problem is that I'm a traditional artist and cannot for the life of me do digital art very nicely at the moment as I learned a few months ago when I tried coloring a random thing.... I was originally planning to do sketching and inking traditionally and color digitally, but I've come to realize that me doing this comic digitally would just be breathes in heavily terrible for my self-esteem as an artist.

Since that was rather long winded, my questions are:
Do you prefer reading comics with digital or traditional artwork?
Do you recommend I do my comic traditionally or digitally?
And as another extra one, would you read a comic with this art style and skill?

[Lindsette]

I think it depends on your strengths in certain areas. Don't do what's 'popular' just because everyone else is.

You can always experiment! Like do just traditional, just digital, maybe combinations of both. See what you like the most, and you can even ask for opinions on what people like better. Keep in mind that your style can change in different mediums. And that's okay! Just because you can't do something digitally like you do traditionally doesn't mean you're necessarily bad at it. It means you need to find what works for you and how you can use the tools to your advantage.

For example: I am a terrible illustrator on a tablet, but I'm bad at coloring on paper. So I draw it out on traditionally, scan it, and color it in Sai. But I'm also bad a shading! So instead of focusing heavily on shading, I do flat, graphic-type coloring. I use all my strengths and weaknesses to create my work. And if I had gone any other route I feel like I would have hated it.
It's all in personal preferences and what works for one person does not work for another.
And btw I think your drawings are wonderful. ~ <3

[AnnaLandin]

Do you prefer reading comics with digital or traditional artwork?

I like reading comics with good artwork that tells the story well - how it's produced is not something I take into account.

Note: "good artwork" doesn't necessarily mean you need to paint like Rembrandt. I think xkcd has good artwork - because the artwork works with the stories and jokes the comic is trying to tell. The fact that it's literally stick figures doesn't mean it's bad. It's a style-choice that works!

Do you recommend I do my comic traditionally or digitally?

Choose whichever method you are most comfortable with and enjoy the most - making comics takes a lot of time, so it's a good idea to choose a method you enjoy.

And as another extra one, would you read a comic with this art style and skill?

If the story was good, yes I would!

[Jbcryptic]

My style for Harmony Monsters is similar to what @Lindsette is talking about. I sketch and ink traditionally, then scan the pages into photoshop to clean them up, add text, and add color! It really depends on you're workflow and what makes sense for you to make a piece you're proud of!

Though I can say that while posting my pages, I am a bit intimidated by the amount of digital-only comics seem to always be on the popular and trending tags, but that's just my insecurity.

[azureXtwilight]

Digital, but only because of the text. Most traditional ones have handwritten font which can be a struggle for me to read. I don't mind either one.

[R.n.P]

I prefer traditional artwork, majority of the comics have very fluent action movements and facial expressions and overall motion depiction

[colonel_ressentiment]

Art style is clearly important to the story a comic tells, but I think describing it as traditional-media-vs-digital is too vague, since you can get pretty similar effects with both as long as you have the know-how (they're doing fascinating things with digital painting these days). More specifically, some art styles are much easier digitally (cel shading) and some styles are easier traditionally (watercolor), so it depends more on what you think suits your comic/what you'd like to practice.

My recommendation for a long project like a comic is to make sure you're doing what's enjoyable for you, which sounds like in this case it's traditional art. For quite a lot of the comic you're going to be the only one looking at it and trying to believe in it, and it's harder to do that when you hate your own art more than usual, because you tried doing it in a medium you aren't fond of. Caveat is if you know you eventually want to go digital, and need the practice.

[infectedbloodcomics]

I don't care much about traditional vs digital, as long as it's not 3D.

[adcrook01]

I really don't mind, just as long as the comic has a good storyline. I have a lot of respect for both types of artists as I know how time consuming it is. Also if it's any help I do prefer comics that are in colour.

[Shanny8]

Doesnt matter whether the work is traditional or digital- as long as it's a good comic.

[VikiKuli]

I would have to say in a majority sense I perfer digital, but I also very much like traditional! As long as the art/dialogue is decent, the characters are expressive, the text is easy to read, and the story is compelling Hope that helps

[Tentakustar]

Honestly... as long the art can hold well with the how the story goes. it doesn't really matter.

[digitalvalium1]

I learned traditional techniques first as well, then moved toward digital. I recommend the same for you. Digital scales better, prints better, is impossible to lose with the appropriate forethought, and there are several things that simply can't be done outside a digital environment.

I suggest getting a pen tablet and a copy of manga studio 4 EX (CHEAP) or 5 Pro. The pen tablet is the most expensive item you'll invest in, but getting a decent one is well worth the money. Think of it as buying a year's worth of bristol in one shot. It's less painful.

The Wacom's are still the best. If you want a display pen tablet, however, they're out of just about everyone's price range, as one large enough to be functional is as much as a decent car. Ugee made a decent one a few years ago, which is what I use. There are several other asian manufacturers in that pricepoint, and you'd be well off to research reviews on Amazon for who's making the best value device at the moment.

There will be a learning curve when purchasing a non-display type pen tablet. Be prepared for it, though it isn't as steep as one might think. They are useful, and I still own mine and use it occasionally. Wacom is very, very good in these, and reasonable. Trouble-free support is invaluable.

As to software, I've used Corel, PS, and MS, and I prefer MS. It's a personal choice, and some just like PS or Corel. The EX or Pro versions of Manga Studio, however, are well-tailored to comics/manga, and support vector layers, 3D, 2D processing, filters, tones, and just about anything one would want. I'm still learning new functions. I adore it. 4 EX is still available from some sellers and is unbelievably cheap. It is also, in ways, more functional than 5 pro. If you're on a budget, 4 EX is THE way.

As to your last question, would I read a comic with art at your skill level? I read several that don't look as good as the samples provided. For me, it's more about content with a nod toward quality. I think you'll find most people feel the same or similar.

[EiraQueenofSnow]

Both honestly have their pluses. I personally like the look of hand drawn images better than digital but at the same time digital gives you more options for colors which is great. I like the cleanness that digital offers while hand drawn can be more loose. but I read both and honestly digital is easier for most people more time effective.

I say are you comfortable with digital art work? because if you aren't comfortable with it yet I wouldn't start the comic in digital, but if you feel comfortable I say do it.

[KoreanTacos]

I grew up with sunday comics so I naturally have more nostalgia for traditional comics. I do enjoy digital as they are very much well made, but sometimes with digital comics I get the feeling that the creator just drew something, but didn't plan the story around it (if that makes sense). Honestly I don't have a preference I just enjoy good story/humor.

[RoseLaflesh]

I've seen some great digitally created comics, I've seen some terrible ones. I've seen some amazing traditionally created comics, and I've seen horrible ones. Like what many people here said, it depends on where your strengths lie.

When it comes to art, the medium doesn't really matter. You could buy it on the highest quality drawing tablets and fancies drawing programs or you could draw it in MSPaint with a mouse. You could spend hundreds on prismacolor pencils, or maybe you spent ten bucks on a pack on printer paper, some mechanical pencils, sharpies and crayons. It's not the medium that makes the art great, it's the hand that wields it. Each has their plus sides and draw backs. Digital art allows you to create a few cheats that traditional art doesn't allow (ctrl z and copy and paste for example), but traditional art is easier on the hands (at least I find).

At the end of the day, it's your comic and you need to know what you're comfortable with. If you're not comfortable with traditional art, then no matter how many people call for it, you won't have as nice a drawing as you would if you went digitally. Of course, don't be afraid to stretch your comfort zone, but the choice is yours alone.

[J.Lovelace]

I like both styles equally and won't discriminate between them.
As for you, work with whichever is more comfortable to you. You can always decide to switch to digital in the middle of the comic if you feel like it.
The thing is that it's your work and you can do with it what you want. If you decide to do things out of your comfort zone, you will end up hating your comic and burn out fast.

[cleo_san]

Well, I'm, drawing my pages traditionally, only the screentones and tests are done with manga studio =)

Since I've started my story Remember traditionally I want to finish it that way =)

However, since I'm planning to re-draw one of my short stories which is b/w, I want to make a full color version. Since I absolutely suck with drawing digitally, it'll be traditionally drawn. =)

But basically I agree with some of the others here: It doesn't matter if you drawe traditionally or digitally, as long as the story is good! <3

[mg78]

in the black/white comic setup, i stay with a classic traditional work for most of the work. this mean i use the pc only for tones, remove some errors and put lettering.
in the colors comic setup, i put colors digitally.
both way not because digital it's difficult for me, i do this way because i prefear to have part of my work in the real world, as original and not as digital (printed it's just a copy of a file to me)